When Alex Riddle addressed his fellow seniors as class valedictorian at Avonworth High School's graduation ceremonies in June, nobody doubted his claim to being at the top of the Class of 2010, his grade point average being 4.28. What most of his classmates -- or anyone else, for that matter -- did not know was that based upon his outstanding scores on advanced placement tests over the past four years, Alex also was addressing them as a National Advanced Placement Scholar, an honor "…granted to students in the United States who receive an average score of at least four on all AP exams taken, and scores of four or higher on eight or more of these exams," according to College Board guidelines.

Advanced placement (AP) tests, not to be confused with Scholastic Aptitude tests, evaluate students' achievement in all subject areas -- science, math, English, languages and others -- with a score of five on a five-point scale representing overall excellence.

Alex sailed through the challenging exams, taking eight AP tests over the past three years, scoring a four on his first effort in his sophomore year, and then racking up perfect fives on seven tests taken at the end of his junior and senior years.

According to Jennifer Topiel, the College Board executive director of communications as of 2009, 1.1 percent of AP examinees took eight AP Exams over the course of their high school careers.

"There are very few AP students who have reached this level of outstanding success in AP," she said.

While most of Alex's tests were math-and physics-oriented, he also earned a top score in this year's English literature and composition exam.

Aside from the personal satisfaction of knowing he is in an elite class of students, how do all of these stellar scores impact Alex's future?

"Each test is theoretically the equivalent of a college class in that subject," Alex said. "But it depends on what I end up using. I plan on entering Calculus III and 'Waves and Modern Physics' (the next course after mechanics and electricity and magnetism) as a freshman instead of the typical entry level courses. Basically, I can receive credit for up to eight classes for my scores on the tests."

Alex will attend the University of Rochester where he will double-major in math and physics, with special emphasis in the field of optics. "I have always been interested in light, and Rochester is one of the best schools in the country. They've already given me a research grant," Alex said.

Among his other interests, Alex plays piano, taught to him by his grandmother, the trumpet, taught to him by his father, and guitar, self taught. He also played soccer until he had to decide between that sport and marching band. "Practices were at the same time, and I couldn't do both, so I picked band."

Avonworth math instructor Robert Jackson referred to Alex as being "…a self-directed learner who becomes engaged by what he is studying. I am fortunate to have gotten to know Alex over the past few years and I expect to hear great things about him in the future."

Alex is the son of Maxine Gressley Riddle of Ohio Township and Bob Riddle of North Hills.